Braces Do NOT Recess Your Jaw — The Truth About Orthodontics, Extractions, Facial Growth & “Mandibular Recession”

[Iblamemyassymetry67]

This thread is aimed at covering whether braces recess your Mandibular (lower jaw bone)

One of the biggest misconceptions online is people confusing profile flattening with literal mandibular bone recession.

I see people asking whether braces will recess their jaw/mandibular. This is false. It's important to note that orthodontic results are individualized and subjective. Never ever make treatment decisions based on threads you read online, especially on a forum.

Moving teeth backwards does NOT mean your mandibular bone itself has shrunk backwards. Orthodontics mainly move teeth within your bone structure. It does not directly reshape, regrow or physically push your mandible backwards as a whole structure.

What people online are describing is more so:

1. Reduced lip support
2. Flatter soft tissue profile
3. Camouflage treatment of a skeletal issue
4. Natural growth changes being incorrectly attributed to braces
5. Altered facial balance

Orthodontics is not a yes or no binary.

There are patients whose treatment improved:
Function, improved jaw development, improved facial harmony, improved breathing, improved symmetry,

On the other end of the stick you also have people who report:
Flatter profiles, weaker lower thirds, reduced tongue space, narrowed arches, aesthetic problems despite an improved bite.

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Go to an Orthodontist. Obtain:

1. Cephalometric imaging
2. Multiple orthodontic opinions

View attachment 5021988
Before considering any irreversible treatment.

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Dental problems vs Skeletal problems

A large portion of confusion comes from people who mix up dental issues with structural, skeletal problems.

Dental issues may include:

1. Tooth alignment
2. Spacing
3. Crowding
4. Overjet
5. Relationship between your bite

Skeletal issues may include:

1. Maxillary position
2. Mandibular position
3. Facial growth direction
4. Craniofacial development
5. Airway structure
6. Jaw projection

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What Camouflage Orthodontics Means

Camouflage Orthodontics means using tooth movement to hide a skeletal discrepancy instead of correcting the skeletal structure itself.

A patient may have a recessed mandible, excess overjet, weak chin projection... but instead of surgically advancing the mandible or using growth modification, an Orthodontist may move teeth to fit the bite together, reduce visible overjet or retract your upper incisors.


These are not the same thing. You can have straight teeth with a recessed jaw. You can also have crooked teeth with a strong jaw. You can have a perfect bite with weak facial projection, or severe crowding with above average facial aesthetics.

Orthodontics moves mainly your teeth. It does not regrow, or reshape your mandible. Many patients with skeletal problems are treated dentally, and that is where the controversy begins.

The result of this is your bite looking more correct, yet skeletal issues still existing.

View attachment 5021990

In more severe skeletal cases, orthodontics alone may not be capable of fully correcting structural jaw deficiency.

In that particular instance, this is where the following below would require looking into:

1. Growth modification
2. Functional appliances
3. Orthognathic surgery
4. Combined orthodontic-surgical treatment

Begins to enter the discussion depending on age and skeletal maturity.

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Extractions and Retraction Mechanics

Premolar extraction has existed for DECADES.

It is used in many cases to reduce crowding, negate protrusive incisors, improve bite mechanics or avoid surgery. The issue is not with extractions being bad, it's what may potentially happen afterwards.

If a premolar is extracted, Orthodontists often use that space created to retract anterior teeth, pull incisors backward, reduce protrusion...

This might affect:

1. Lip support
2. Tongue space
3. Smile width
4. Overall facial convexities
5. Profile fullness

In patients who are already recessed, then yes excessive retraction may flatten your face. Your lips may appear less supported, and your lower third projection may appear weaker. It's not universal though.

Untreated malocclusion (misaligned bite) comes with its own consequences.

These consequences may be outlined below:

1. Tooth wear
2. Bite instability
3. Chewing dysfunction
4. TMJ strain
5. Asymmetrical compensation
6. Gum issues
7. Long term oral stability

For the vast majority of patients, orthodontics will overall improve:

1. Function
2. Bite mechanics
3. Oral health
4. Smile aesthetics
5. Long term dental stability

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Mandibular Rotation and Facial Growth Direction

Not all mandibular growth is forward. It can grow upwards, forward, downwards, backwards. Hence the term rotational growth.

More favourable growth will be forward/upward rotation. This results in a stronger jawline, shorter lower face, better chin projection and a more compact facial structure.

Backwards/downward rotation will result in a weaker jaw appearance, longer lower third, recessed chin appearance, steeper mandibular plane and an increased facial convexity.

View attachment 5021991 View attachment 5021997

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Retainers matter more than people think

Your teeth are not permanently "locked" into place immediately after your braces come off. Teeth naturally have the tendency to relapse over time due to:

periodontal ligament memory
bite forces
aging
oral habits
continued facial change/remodelling

​

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Orthodontic treatment, yes, it can influence facial growth and aesthetics, profile appearance, and growth direction but this depends more on:

1. Treatment mechanics
2. Extraction/retraction strategy
3. Growth stage
4. Skeletal structure
5. Orthodontist philosophy

Braces themselves, however, do not directly recess your mandibular bone. Take advantage of braces whilst you're young, people don't give as much of a shit about your teeth, and it may potentially save you further complications down the line. Oral health is important, and straight teeth are an easy way to boost PSL.


What many people online interpret as jaw recession is often just related to profile flattening, reduced lip support, camouflage treatment, or pre-existing skeletal problems becoming more noticeable over time.

The important issue is getting a correct diagnosis, understanding skeletal vs dental problems, individualized treatment planning, airway consideration, and finally informed consent regarding aesthetic tradeoffs.

A healthy and functional bite, with a stable oral structure is, in most cases far more important than obsessing over a perceived profile change from anecdotes.

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Sources + Further reading:


American Association of Orthodontists (AAO)
AAO Clinical Practice Guidelines
Contemporary Orthodontics — William R. Proffit
Radiographic Cephalometry — Jacobson​

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Topics you can research to further educate yourselves:

Class II skeletal malocclusion
Camouflage orthodontics
Premolar extraction controversy
Mandibular rotation growth patterns
Functional appliances orthodontics
Airway-focused orthodontics
Cephalometric analysis
​

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question, i have a overbite so my top teeth are like pushed forward and it gives the illusion that i have a bit of forward growth, my chin looks so recessed because of this, is it worth sacrificing my little bit of quote on quote forward growth to have a hopefully not recessed chin and likely fix my philtrum assymetry? i’ve been scared that my face will be flat and ill look like a gimp

 

[pudhpreet]

DNR. TLDR: extraction = bone loss, if extraction not part of ortho plan, then no recession

 

[napoleonic]

gud bread

 

[holyincel333]

how long does it take to show results